Portraits of Punk: Taking OFF! in Photos

It’s now been six gigs, in four cities, in three countries. I’ve seen OFF! twice in one venue in Vancouver, and twice in one day at SXSW, once in Portland and once in a former butcher’s warehouse in Copenhagen. And every single time, amazing. The genetic make up of OFF! is flawless. The DNA strands are cantankerous, explosive, incredible Circle Jerk and Black Flag legend Keith Morris at the helm, backed by three of the hardest-working, most remarkable players currently in rock and roll: Mario Rubalcaba (from Earthless/Rocket from the Crypt) on drums, Dimitri Coats (from Burning Brides) and Steven McDonald (from Redd Kross), though I can’t believe I still have to tell you this.

Together, they form a hyper-charged unit of punk rock bombast. In town on April 12, at Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver, on they raced through songs from their first three albums, including the three EPs, the self-titled one and brand new one Wasted Years. Highlights? Always “Black Thoughts”, “I Don’t Belong”, “I Got News For You” and “Void You Out”. Also a highlight? When Keith asked the crowd to stop hassling each other. “The people you should have a problem with are outside? Not here.”